Sunday, August 31, 2014

I came across a Luna moth recently that was clearly at the end of its life span, and it made me recall the time I was able to photograph a healthy specimen. This recent moth was pale in color, rather than the bold green coloration of a luna moth in good health. Also, the paper-thin wings of this moth were not whole but rather they were tattered. This moth was on the ground, another sure sign that it was not well since they like to be in habitat that is upright like trees. But nature surprised me when I went to gather the moth to photograph, it simply flapped its wings and was lifted by a light breeze into the top of a nearly live oak and totally removed from my grasp. My guess is that one of the birds in the area was likely to have a luna moth supper very soon, but that is a part of nature that does not surprise me. So here are some of my recent field notes photos.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The restoration of bobwhite quail habitat remains a goal for
many who love the outdoors. Hunting for quail, sometimes affectionately known
as Gentleman Bob, is a southern pastime that still holds an allure for the
wingshooters of today. But a huge decline in the overall population numbers for
quail has severely limited or halted altogether the pursuit of quail by many
sportsmen. A meeting for wildlife managers in Orangeburg on August 14 continued
the recent conversation about quail conservation.

While
the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is in charge of the game
species in the Palmetto State, quail habitat recovery must take place on a
landscape scale involving many thousands of acres of land. This is why Milliken
Forestry Company helped to organize a meeting at the offices of C.F. Evans
Construction for land managers to attend. Travis Sumner with Milliken works
with wildlife solutions on the properties that they manage, and he started the
meeting with introduction of the day’s speakers.

Pointer flushing a few bobwhite quail

The
decline in quail numbers does not just affect S.C., but rather it affects the
entire Southeast and the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, or NBCI,
was set up around 2009 to address long range quail recovery plans. Nat Ruth is
the plantation manager from Mount Pleasant Plantation in Georgetown County,
where a revival of quail habitat and quail hunting practices is currently
underway. Ruth is dedicated to quail recovery and is glad to share his formula
for success, although any blueprint for success must often be customized for a
specific property.

Ten
years of predator management is in the books at Mt. Pleasant and Nat Ruth
relays that this job is never really done. “Land managers need to complete a
predator index for their property to begin with, to document what animals are
present,” said Ruth. “Most properties utilize the early release of pen-raised
quail to supplement any wild birds present, and something like 40-percent of
released birds are predated before hunting season begins.”

I was glad to attend and learn more about quail management

The
trapping of predators is a time consuming practice that requires know how and
cash flow, making it tough for small private landowners to undertake. Still, it
is important that everyone understand that trapping is now thought of as part
of the equation to bring back bobwhite quail. The public’s appetite to accept
trapping is trending upward with the arrival of coyotes and the discovery that
they are having a tremendous affect of deer and turkey.

Wild
hogs are a bigger problem for those managing land along river systems, and nest
raiders like raccoons, opossums and armadillos are seemingly everywhere.
Different traps are required for different predators, plus the knowledge of how
to place them out and what type of bait to use. Serious land managers
understand that they must get in the habit of trapping, and that being more
sneaky than those critters is a tough assignment.

The landowner meeting concluded with a field trip to the
Whispering Pines Plantation near Cameron where landowner Johnny Evans explained
what works for him regarding quail management. Having served on the SCDNR
Board, Evans is a wildlife enthusiast who shares that he thinned his timber
some to provide more habitat for quail. His journey began with an article in
Progressive Farmer magazine abut do it yourself quail habitat, and he relays
that he has been very pleased with the overall experience of working to return
bobwhite quail to the landscape.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

The Briar Creek Hunt Club in Bamberg County had a very special guest on the opening day of the 2014 deer season when Leslie Lawson accompanied her father to hunt. They sat in separate deer stands, but Mark Lawson never gave up on his daughter's chance to harvest her first ever buck in velvet, urging her on via text message until after 8 p.m. It wasn't until 8:15 when the trophy buck with a wide rack stepped out, giving her the chance to harvest this buck that is now going on her wall.

This young lady began deer hunting only three years, and it was two years ago when she registered her first doe harvest. Then last year in 2013 she moved up to harvesting a buck, a tall-tined 6-pointer that really pleased her and her father. Still she wanted more and began to borrow her father's rifle more and more to go hunting. Eventually she settled into her own rifle, a Savage Axis .308 and that way she could go to the woods as much as she wanted. Though the 2013 season ended, her obsession remained and she dare not miss the 2014 opening day hunt.

Lawson and her 6-point in 2013

Leslie had brought her boyfriend along for comapny and they sat in a stand overlooking young planted pines and a corn pile. She says that three does came out to eat a little after 7 p.m. and that they watched them for about an hour. When the buck stepped out about 8:15 the does ran off, and the buck turned to look at the deerstand. When she saw the wide rack on this nice 8-point buck she knew it was a shooter and she quickly raised her rifle, looked through the nikon scope and drilled him from 100-yards away.

It was dark when they decided to get down from the deer stand and look for the buck that they knew had been hit. They went to the truck and got a flashlight and soon after arriving at the corn pile they found sign of a lung shot and a good blood trail. The buck weighed 175-pounds and carried a 19-inch spread, which is very respectable for a buck from the Lowcountry. Her gaol for 2014 was to kill a buck in velvet and to harvest a buck bigger than her previous best - and she accomplished both goals with one shot on opening day!! What's next for Leslie - she now says she wants to start bow hunting!! Congrats.

The FLW Tour is a series of bass fishing tournaments put on
by Wal-Mart under the moniker of Fishing League Worldwide. The top bass anglers
came from all around the Southeast to take on Lake Murray in the August heat to
decide the winner of the season ending Forrest Wood Cup. Two S.C. anglers
finished in the Top Five with Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity taking home the
trophy and prize money on Sunday’s weigh-in at Colonial Life Arena in downtown
Columbia.

Fervent fans were evident at the Forrest Wood Cup weigh in

Gagliardi
never led during the four-day Forrest Wood Cup which began fishing on Thursday
August 14, but he did advance each day in a tournament formula that requires
results. Only 45 bass anglers qualify from the FLW tour to participate in the
Forrest Wood Cup, which changes states every year. All the anglers fish on the
first two days of the tournament, but then the field is cut down to only the
Top Twenty, though all the anglers receive monetary compensation.

Andy Morgan was in town to fish Lake Murray

The
entire week had bass fishing fans in frenzy with practice fishing days on
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday complete with events for family and media too.
The FLW Tour brought a large entourage of tour sponsors with them to South
Carolina and they set up a bass fishing expo in the coliseum parking lot for
the entire weekend. Displays ranged from fishing equipment companies to
Chevrolet trucks, and plenty of fishing celebrities were on hand like Jimmy
Houston and Hank Parker.

Other
sideline events included the State Fish Art competition sponsored by the S.C.
Department of Natural Resources where kids of all ages could submit depictions
of their favorite freshwater fish. Another fan favorite was the cook off on
Saturday put on by the South Carolina Barbecue Association. All of the
educational booths provided plenty of reasons for the public to turn out and
enjoy the Forrest Wood Cup festivities before going indoors for the daily 5
p.m. weigh in.

The
Day One weigh in on Thursday, although met with lots of fervor from the fans,
proved to be a little light in the fish weight department. The FLW tour allows
for five largemouth bass to be weighed in per angler, but plenty of these bass
fishing pros did not bring a limit with them to the scales. Some of the anglers
only had one or two fish to weigh in and a couple even struck out altogether.

Cody Meyer was a fan favorite at the Colonial Life Coliseum

Bass anglers wait at the aeration station

But
with a slow weigh-in came the feeling that no one was out of the game yet, and
that a strong second day could really change things. Some anglers had come from
as far away as California, and they were not going to go home quietly. Plenty
of anglers had sections of family in the crowd at the daily coliseum weigh-ins
cheering them on, holding up handmade signs and doing all the things that
demonstrate their complete support since winning the Cup brings name recognition,
a champions banner and trophy.

At
the end it was Gagliardi who was the most consistent angler, weighing in
five-fish on three of the four days, giving him a grand total of 51-pounds and
2-ounces of bass, which was enough to grab the $500,000 winner’s check. The
town of Prosperity, S.C. has a new reason to celebrate after the Forrest Wood
Cup, and the FLW Tour can be proud of their champ and of the competition they
provided at Lake Murray. To read this article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.To view past blog entries about fresh water click fishing tips or North Santee River or King Kat.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Inshore Report: Shane Clevenger at The Charleston Angler in West Ashley asks Captain Kevin Blair - What's your Go To setup in August? Blair begins by sharing that a large variety of fish are available right now including big redfish and sharks in deeper waters with flounder and trout more inshore. An inglux of bait like shrimp, menhaden and finger mullet have all predators looking for the opportunity to feed. Blair keeps about six rods rigged and ready and they average at least 7-feet in length.

Of course a couple of heavy-action rods are warranted and Blair keeps them rigged up with 60-pound braid, connected to a 25-inch leader of 50-pound flourocarbon and 6-ought circle hooks. This rig is good for live lining big mullet or menhaden around the jetties for reds and sharks. Attaching an egg sinker is easy to do if the current requires more weight to reach the bottom.

Blair has two rods rigged with 20-pound braid, 3/4-ounce egg sinkers and a 20-inch flourocarbon leader. He uses the 2-ought circle hooks to target flounder and small reds along the jetties or the marsh. Lastly he keeps two rods rigged with 15-pound braid and a 12-pound flouro leader with a 2-ought circle hook. These lighter rigs are good for using shrimp or finger mullet and a popping cork can be added to the line easily.

Blair says to remember to keep a cast net handy this time of year to gather any bait you may encounter. He also shares that it's not a bad idea to buy at least some bait before leaving the boat ramp simply to ensure you aren't ever fishing 'on credit.' For the latest seminar information visit the Internet at Charleston Angler.

Editor's Note: Tarpon are being found in abundance along the S.C. coast and the next 30 days are potentially the best for tarpon fishing in the Lowcountry for the remainder of 2014.

Monday, August 18, 2014

With the traditional August 15 staring date of deer season falling on a Friday, many hunting clubs celebrated their opening day on Saturday August 16. Though the heat of August is constant, many outdoorsmen will not let it slow down their sporting pursuits. One such story came from the Middleton Hunt Club in Charleston County where a stander used some scouting knowledge to pick a spot in the woods to try his luck during a driven hunt. Keep in mind that doe deer season is not yet open, so viewing any deer on the run calls for discretion, with veteran hunters better able to quickly distinguish the sex of a deer and make a decision about offering a shot.

Harrington Bissell slipped into a section of designated woods that the horseback drivers would soon stir up with their vocalizations and with a pack of hounds. When he found a shed antler from a 6-point buck near his assigned location he felt is was THE spot and set up his stool. The drive began quietly enough, and then a lone hound began to bay, and it sounded like it was coming closer. Scanning the woodlands for movement, he saw a deer bounding in his direction. A lot of small sweetgum saplings made the viewing difficult but when the white-tailed deer closed to within 15-yards of his position he clearly saw antlers in full velvet and squeezed off a shot from his shotgun and cleanly harvested the 9-point buck.

He blew on his hunter's horn to draw the attention of the horseback drivers who came to retrieve the downed buck. A tale of the tape showed the rack had a 13-inch spread with 9-points. This was the hunt club's first harvest in 2014 and it was Bissell's FIRST EVER buck in velvet, and weighed 133-pounds. The venison was shared among the club members and now one more person understands how the early deer season in South Carolina can reap special memories for those willing to get outdoors and hunt in August.

For past blog entries about Opening Days Deer Success Stories click on 2013 or 2012 or 2011 or 2010 or 2009.

Friday, August 15, 2014

One of the duties of a responsible media member is to seek
membership in an organization that strives to show that expertise and ethics
are indeed integral parts of the job. It was through the Southeastern Outdoor
Press Association that I met Mike Giles of Mississippi, and recognized him as a
like-minded outdoor writer. Giles compiles some of his memorable outdoors
stories in the form of a book titled Passion Of The Wild.

Giles
relates tales that any outdoorsman who has spent a lifetime in the outdoors
might recognize as rites of passage. His passage became a passion that he wants
to share with others, and so he dips into his own family stories, and into his
religious faith to relay memorable endeavors. Wild turkey hunting seems to be a
favorite subject with Giles, followed by white-tailed deer hunting and duck
hunting tales, all set in Mississippi.

Of
course no one becomes a sharp shooting wingshot or an expert deer tracker
without first experiencing failure. Dove season is a universal experience in
the South and Giles shares that he was a poor wingshot for doves until his
Uncle mentored him about swinging the gun on a passing bird. Many people know
the frustration of emptying your gun at a dove without cutting a feather, while
the next stander down knocks them down two at a time.

Rather
than sticking with his devotion to big game like deer and turkeys, Giles made
it a point to work with his Uncle to improve his aim and his dove shooting game
while at a shooting range. Soon this story turns into an account from the next
dove hunt and Giles crumples bird after bird with his new found confidence. At
this point in the story Giles inserts an inspirational saying, and includes
bible verses in other chapters.

In
the dove shooting chapter it reads Imagine The Possibilities. “Don’t tell
people how to do things, don’t tell them what to do and don’t tell them what
you’re going to do for them. Show them what to do, how to do it and lead by
example by doing it right.” Amen. I love this saying and the fact that it came
from someone with an outdoors mindset, because it can be equally applied to all
walks of life.In the book’s final chapter
Giles quotes Genesis 1:26 and how man should have rule over the fish in the
sea, birds in the sky and the creatures on the ground. He shares how
conservation includes the responsible harvest of our natural resources, and
that stewardship is a part of God’s plan. Giles is using his writing to speak
out about his passion for big bass, long beards and wide racks and I’m glad to
call him my friend.To read the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.To view past book reviews click on Moonbird or Kayak Fishing or Audubon's Aviary.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Goose getters will also return to the field in September for
the early season on Canada geese which runs from September 1 – 30.Shooting hours are 30-minutes before
sunrise until sunset and the daily bag limit is 15 geese. Goose hunters will
need a valid hunting license in addition to migratory bird permit, state
waterfowl permit and a federal duck stamp. Specialized load and shot-size are
also required, so be sure to read all SCDNR regulations carefully.

The second piece of good news from the feds involves the bag
limit for early teal season, with an increase from four teal per day to six
teal per day for waterfowl hunters. These blue-winged teal are the first ducks
to migrate south and generally will be in the coastal impoundments of the Lowcountry and other duck ponds during the month of September. Teal are small
birds and the increased opportunity to target just a couple more of them can
serve to keep wingshooting skills sharp.

Early
teal season runs Sept. 12 - 27 and hunters will need all of the same license and shot requirements,
plus they have a different legal shooting time which runs from sunrise until
sunset. Category II waterfowl areas on SCDNR lands are open for public hunting
during early teal and goose seasons. All possession limits for the migratory
bird season will now be three times the daily bag limit.

Another
early hunting season announced by SCDNR is the two-part marsh hen season which
begins September 8 – 12. The daily bag limit for king and clapper rails is 15
per day and shooting hours are 30-minutes before sunrise until sunset. The
daily limit for sora and Virginia rails is 25 birds per hunter. The second
season for marsh hens runs from October 6 through December 9, and hunter
success usually coincides with the time of flood tides in the spartina marsh.

Did you miss the NEW expanded dove season dates for 2014 - if so, click here.

To view past blog entries about September goose hunting click Opening Day 2013 or 2011.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Wingshooters in the state of South Carolina have a
double-barreled excuse to welcome the 2014 hunting season. The U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service manages regulations for migratory birds that travel across
multiple states, and they have added twenty more days to dove hunting season!
The increase was approved by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources and will
provide more days in the field for those who love the camaraderie of dove
hunting.

Dove season is increased from 70 days in 2013 to 90 days
during the 2014 – 2015 season. The traditional opening day remains set for
September 1 and the early season runs until October 11. Remember that during
the first days of the hunting season, until Sept. 6, the legal shooting hours
for doves is only from noon until sunset. The next dove season dates are set
for November 15 – 29 and December 13 through January 15. Legal hunting hours
are 30-minutes before sunrise until sunset, and the daily bag limit remains 15
doves per day.

SCDNR
also has made a variation in legal hunting practices over fields that have been
top sown with wheat. Using Clemson Extension Service Guidelines, it is now
possible to practice top sowing of wheat from Oct. 1 – Nov. 30 when spreading
seed evenly on a well-prepared seed bed established by heavy tilling. Special spreading rates apply, and piling of seed can still result in a baited field,
so be sure to check with your local Extension office about how to stay legal.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

In searching out a small
watercraft to enjoy on rivers and lakes, a modern kayak with a serious history
is worthy of the spotlight. The Folbot kayak (pronounced Full Boat) is a
foldable kayak that fits in a backpack style bag for transport when not in use.
A visit to the Folbot warehouse in Charleston, their home since 1953,gave a unique look into their current
operations before we splashed a Folbot at a nearby kayak access ramp on the Ashley River.

Vintage Folbot float book

Grubbs digs in while paddling in the Ashley River

Jack Kissner founded Folbot
boast just over 80 years ago in England. Kissner moved the Folbot operation to New York City in
1935 to tap the American market, eventually settling into Charleston, S.C. in
1953. The
company changed owners a few times since the 1980’s with Eric Thome and Scott
Peckham purchasing Folbot in 2012. Presently, Folbot is
offering nine different models of foldable kayak in nine different colors.

Versatility is what sets Folbot apart, since the boat
actually fits in the trunk of your car. No SUV, no pick-up, no roof racks – No
Problem here. Summer intern David Grubbs, a local High School student, helped
Thome and I load up three Folbots in the back of a Mercedes wagon. After a
short drive to a public kayak landing in Charleston County I witnessed the
assembly of the 13-foot Sporting Life model.

“The
average set up time for the Folbot is right around 20-minutes,” said Thome. The
backpack was brought down to the floating dock where all the parts were emptied
onto the flat surface next to the kayak ramp. “In the backpack, the Sporting
Like model weighs about 39-pounds. This water repellant skin on this model
features Realtree Max-4 camouflage, which is our latest offering for those who
like to fish or to hunt out of their kayak.”

It’s ironic that the
vintage Folbot book includes a passage on page 167 about ‘Swift Folbot Waters
in Carolina’ and mentions the saltwater marshes of the Ashley River. So with
one eye on the past, and the other on new experiences I paddled the Folbot
upriver and found it to be comfortable, easy to maneuver and fishable. In order to learn how to Unfold New Adventure on the water visit the Internet at Folbot.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

The history of sporting arms and a huge display of firearms
can now be found in Springfield, Missouri at the National Rifle Association
National Sporting Arms Museum. The museum opened in August of 2013 in the
flagship store for Bass Pro Shops, the hometown of Bass Pro founder Johnny
Morris who offered to house the museum in the heartland. With the goal of
bringing this history of firearms to a wider audience, nearly 500-thousand
toured the museum by its first anniversary.

Making
my first ever visit to Missouri in June allowed me the chance to visit with
media fiends at the flagship store for Bass Pro Shops. The store is an
astonishing 500,000-square feet in size, and still growing with plans to add
other museums for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. This store is centrally located
in the Midwest and boasts four million visitors annually, making it an ideal
location for the NRA museum.

Bass
Pro’s Morris visited the NRA’s National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia
more that ten years ago and wanted to bring the artistry and history of these
sporting arms back to his home in Missouri. From that point the idea of sharing
resources began to grow and soon some private gun collectors saw this new 7500-square
feet museum as the only place that was the correct fit for their guns to
appear.

Admission
to the museum is free, and a self-guided tour is available or docents are
always on hand to walk you through the timeline of American sporting arms. My
guide was a retired gent named Stoney Roberts who shared that the museum was
founded in the name of hunting conservation and freedom. More than a few quotes
were highlighted at the entrance including Thomas Jefferson’s “The price of
freedom is eternal vigilance,” and N.C.’s Horace Kephart wrote “In the school
of the woods there is no graduation day,” which had particular meaning for me.

Near the end of the museum is a special section dedicated to
President Theodore Roosevelt. A document on display there from Roosevelt is
dated Feb. 17, 1907 and reads “I am so heartily interested in the success of
the National Rifle Association of America that I take pleasure in sending you
herewith my check for $25 for life membership therein.”

Established in 1871 the NRA is
America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group, and this partnership with
Bass Pro Shops expands their role as the leading firearm educator for the
general public.To view this feature article in the newspaper click on Charleston Mercury.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

A chance to visit media friends in June at Bass Pro Shops in
Springfield, Missouri proved to be the catalyst for learning more about the
sporting goods store with a focus on the outdoors and conservation. The
Springfield Bass Pro Shops store is the original retail location opened in 1981
and proudly remains their flagship store dubbed the Granddaddy of all Outdoor
Stores. This location has become a tourist destination for the Midwest and attracts
about four million visitors annually to view the boats, wildlife taxidermy,
guns and fish tanks.

My
visit began at the corporate home base for Bass Pro Shops, which is an entirely
different location capable of handling the business concerning all of the Bass
Pro chain stores. I found their headquarters to be a friendly place with the
same commitment to wildlife taxidermy and a respect for the outdoors that can
be found at retail locations. A large black cloud and a downpour of rain
initiated me into the wild world of weather that can be found in Missouri but I
was made to feel welcome to wait out the storm, including a bite of lunch in
the corporate cafeteria.

Speaking with store manager
Aaron Schroeter he told me that they have seven over-sized fish aquariums in the
store, and several locations where customers can make a photo souvenir,
including with a bronze whitetail sculpture that is 20-feet tall. Conservation
exhibits include the NRA National Sporting Arms Museum and the Archery Hall of
Fame. Currently there is one Bass Pro store in South Carolina at
Myrtle Beach, but two new stores are planned for 2015 in North Charleston and
in Greenville.

I first met Johnny Morris in 2012 when he visited Hilton
Head to receive a conservation award from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, which includes SCDNR. Morris has the ability to hunt and fish all the time
now, but he still takes time to give back by supporting conservation groups
like AFWA. More currently Morris has helped raise awareness for the need of
saltwater regulatory reform in D.C. by working with the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. Also, Morris was recently appointed to the Board of
Wetlands America Trust, the land conservation arm of Ducks Unlimited.

My
visit to the Springfield store helped to reveal that Bass Pro Shops is a leader
not only in retail, but also in a commitment to portray our outdoor heritage in
a positive light. Saltwater fishing is how I forged such a strong connection to
the outdoors, and a similar love of fishing helped Morris to forge the
beginnings of Bass Pro Shops. Simple things like bait and tackle will always
help anglers and sportsmen connect to nature, which is an important step along
the outdoors trail and towards the conservation of our natural resources.

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Inshore: Scott Hammond at Haddrell's Point West shares that the silver king reigns in August! Yep, tarpon have begun to show up in good numbers recently and have been taking large live mullet, live menhaden, and cut baits fished around the tips of the jetties and around our inlets. Bull reds continue to provide solid action around the grillage and jetties as well, with numbers of Spanish holding just out side the jetties and inlets on the tidelines as well. Early mornings have produced some solid topwater action on trout and reds in the river, and some BIG flounder have hit the scales recently as big as 9lbs that were caught along rock piles on live minnows, live mullet, and jerkshads. For the latest seminar information visit the Internet at Haddrell's Point.

Offshore: Scott says while Red Snapper season was a huge success with some huge ARS being caught, just beacause Red Snapper are closed again does not mean that there is not still some excellent bottom fishing to be had. Solid numbers of grouper in 100ft have been found on live baits as well as butterfly style jigs and vermillions have been numerous in 80-90ft on squid and cigar minnows. The trolling side of things is still producing a handful of mid-sized wahoo along the ledge with the scattered dolphin thrown in the mix. Sailfish have been a little hit and miss, with the better reports coming from 350-450ft.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

The 20th Annual Charleston Harbor Tarpon Release Tourney is one of the longest-running tarpon events along the East Coast. Organizer Cantey Smith picks a date in July that will coincide with a favorable tide and moon phase that is conducive to tarpon fishing. The initial tourney date was July 5 and the weather conspired to make a rough ocean that kept some boats in port but all but assured that no one would catch and release a tarpon. Smith scheduled a second date for July 20 and a fleet of 52-anglers strong set out in search of the silver king in order to produce a tourney winner. The only tarpon catch and release that day belonged to angler Matt Bachinski fishing with Captain J.R. Waits and angler Bill Browne. Despite a two-hour search for the right bait, which included dodging some thunder storms, Waits had his crew in the right place at the right time. This year's award is a handsome wood carving, something unique for the winning angler to cherish from this memorable fish fight.

To view past entries about the Chas. Harbor Tarpon Release tourney click2013, or 2012, or 2011, or 2010, or2009.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Don’t miss out on the bargains offered for Hunter’s Day Out
at Westbury ACE Hardware. Their
store on Bell’s Highway in Walterboro is having their annual hunting sales event on August 2,
with t-shirt giveaways and lots of vendor demonstrations. There’s always a
learning curve when it comes to this year’s deer gear, so Hunter’s Day Out
offers the perfect time and place to gather that info.

New
this year will be a live radio broadcast from 10 until noon location with I93.7
FM in Walterboro. Morning radio broadcaster Miles Crosby will be chatting live with VIP’s
about his life long experience in the hunting woods. Don’t forget you can
listen to the Lowcountry Outdoors on the radio every Wednesday morning with
Uncle Miles at 7:40 when writer Jeff Dennis shares what is making headlines in
the Outdoor Sports section of The Colletonian.

Human
scent can squash a hunter’s chances quicker than you can say - I got snorted!
Putting boots on the ground goes without saying, whether it’s putting up a deer
stand or simply scouting out a deer trail. Scent control products and snake
boots are just two of the essentials that Westbury will have on hand.

Waterproof and snakeproof boots

Deer
hunting ladder stands and climbing stands are available at Westbury’s along
with the camo burlap that is required to hide them from the wary eyes of deer.
Leafy camo jackets and pants are in stock, or go with some of the many styles
of Drake Camo that are in stock, including camo hats and visors to complete your hunting gear or simply just get outfitted for your lifestyle.

Trail
cams and game cameras will make improvements each year so the 2014 Moultrie
cameras and feeders will be on sale. Hunter’s Day Out specials on cobb corn and
shelled corn mean that you can get the deer checking out your hunting property
just in time for opening day of August 15. For all the season Rules for 2014 - 2015 check in with the SCDNR Regulations.